Hi all. I am writing a research paper on Marcelllus Shale Drilling and it's effects on our environment and water sheds in particular. I have just recently started back at college after more then a few years out in the world. If anyone has any good sources of information about this I would be much appreciated for the help. This seemed to be a great oppurtunity to learn more about this and maybe shed a little light on the importance of this issue to someone at least.

Posted on: 2010/3/3 9:50

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In the immortal words of my Gunny "Get moving boy......you wanna live for forever??"

Marcellus is a very broad topic and you might want to narrow it down, say to just PA. And it depends on how big a research paper it is, not to mention the political leanings of your professor (that is not as irrelevant as you might at first think).

I don't have a link at the moment, but it would easy enough to get: PA DEP's Oil and Gas section. Anyone wanting a permit to drill has to apply and there are forms to fill out and background information to understand, including relevant regulations. Those establish some semblance of a basis from which to do analysis. They are "official" documents which are good to be able to cite and it's nice to have something other than opinionated bluster from one side or the other to use.

Good luck in your studies. A poor economy is a good time to be in school.

Thanks for the heads up on the government site! I've got info on how they drill and what most of the impacts are. I am leaning to restricting it to just PA. I even have the trout unlimited position paper on it. The class is technical writing so I'm supposed to maintain some neutrality. As for myself. I think that there has to be a way to mine responsibly and protect the environment at the same time. Anyway, thanks for taking the time to answer back guys!

Posted on: 2010/3/3 10:35

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In the immortal words of my Gunny "Get moving boy......you wanna live for forever??"

1. Water source. When, where, at what flows, etc. How does the permit process work?2. Sedimentation. Building of roads and pads makes a muddy mess, which goes into the streams. What are the controls in place, can they be made better?3. Wastewater disposal. Are treatment plants advanced enough to make it non-harmful? Are there enough treatment facilities?4. Local roads. Large equipment in rural areas leads to expensive road maintenance, bridge problems, etc. Are the companies helping to foot the bill?5. Water contamination. There have been scattered reports of methane contamination of wells and waterways. Is this caused by a breach in the upper containment in wells, or seeping from the deep? How common is it, on a % basis? 6. Spills and accidents. There have been issues with pipes and tanks leaking, etc. How common is this? Can it be avoided with better equipment, better installation procedures, more common inspections?7. General ugliness, not in my back yard. During the drilling operation, these things are big, loud, and ugly, and tend to be located where people go for the exact opposite effect. Even after the wells are capped and producing, you still have tanks, pipes, access roads, etc. Loss of recreation, both temporary and permanent, is not only bad for the economy, but also bad for people's well being.

Benefits:

1. Jobs, of course, but how many are local? Do they spend money in the local communities, or take it all home?2. Landowners get some money, of course, and use that in the community.3. The state government gets tax revenue, so either more good things can be funded or taxes can be lowered.4. Gas is cleaner to burn than coal. For those that believe/are concerned about global warming, this is a good step. 5. Less dependence on foreign oil.6. Gas prices will either decrease somewhat, or at least prevent more severe increases, which has a benefit to the economy.7. One could make the argument that cutting small parts of the forest for the drilling operation, and then letting it regrow after active drilling is complete, will create a successional forest and increase biodiversity in plant life, which tends to increase diversity and increase carrying capacity of animals.

Man! that is seriously on point. that is the general plan i had worked in my head but with much more detail and knowledge of the subject. thanks very much!!! I had thought about most of the things you mentioned but hadn't thought to take it out all the way to gas burning cleaner then coal. Thanks for the ideas!

Posted on: 2010/3/3 12:09

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In the immortal words of my Gunny "Get moving boy......you wanna live for forever??"

Depending on how comprehensively (or alternately, how specifically) you want to explore the topic, I'd think it would be worthwhile to research the historical track record of the oil and gas extraction industries in Pennsylvania in regards to environmentally sound and responsible ops. It isn't all that pretty of a picture. Doesn't mean your take should be anti-drilling, but rather as a cautionary observation.

Additionally, an exploration of what sort of well bonding (monies put into escrow up front by operators to guarantee responsible ops) requirements will apply for the Marcellus wells and whether they will be adequate for this new sort of well and how they may/may not differ from the bonding requirements legislated by the Oil and Gas Act of 1984 (I think this is the right name, but it may not be. What's important is that the first mandated bonding for gas wells in PA were a result of this act).

Thanks. I've done a little research on the procedures through work, but they only apply to a limited range of the operation. And of course I have concerns as well, being a fisherman and outdoorsman, and generally being the type of guy who has to understand something completely before coming to a conclusion. But I can't say I've gone as far as you plan to yet. If its not too much to ask, fill me in on some of the things you find out. I've yet to read a qualified take on the subject from a non-biased observer.

There's also the "better of the evils" philosophy. If we want to have electricity on any sort of wide scale, its gotta be coal, gas, or nuclear. Those are the only current large-scale options. Nobody wants any of them in their backyard, but somebody's got to deal with them....

Another thing that I didn't see anyone post yet is about the M shale being mildly radioactive. Not sure how bad it is, but I think this is one of the reasons it has been stopped in some places. What to do with radioactive tailings.

I don't know a lot about that. Just bits and pieces. Antil drilling probably says it is worse than it is, and drillers probably say nothing to worry about. It sure would be nice to see some actual scientific info on it.

enfausn..........maybe it would help if you checked out some active drilling operations , a friend and i stopped and watched them drilling in Somerset county at a site right along a trout stream (Little Paint Creek) they were real friendly and were eager to explain and answer any questions and i must say i was impressed with the care they were taking and their overall attitude about minimalizing the impact on the environment. It was a cool experience and might help you out in your endeavors.